3D Text
03-01-2006 | Last editted on 27-10-2008 38760 views
3D text doesn't have to be created with a 3d-program. You can creat your own 3d text in just a few simple steps using Photoshop. A really easy tutorial that will teach you the basics of evocative dimensions. A must-see for beginners!
7 comments | Posted in Text-Effects, Basics
Introduction
Since my last 3d-text tutorial was crap and too easy, I decided to make this one a little cooler and a little trickier. But this time the end-result will also look MUCH better then it did last time.
What we will do is give different perspectives of 3d to each letter we're gonna use to make your text have that cool edge. Then we're gonna add some glow and a nice drop shadow!
Think you're up for it?
The Text
Open up a new document and create a nice background. I used MickM-green which is really turning into a trademarked green. I love it. It's not even a real color, but more and more people start to use it.
Anyhow, just make sure your document is large enough. I used 500px x 400px.

I started with the M of the word "MickM". Make sure your font is nice enough to work with. With nice I mean that font needs to be thick enough. Too thin fonts will look a bit weird. Also make sure they're all black.


Now, on every letter add the same layer-style. What we're gonna do is add a white outer stroke that can deviate between 3px or 5px depending on the size of your font. Then add a gradient overlay and set this to SCREEN and lower the opacity of the overlay to 20%.
If you add this layer-style to one of the layers, and then right-click the layer and select "Copy Layer-Style", you can right-click every layer and choose "Paste Layer-Style". Or, if you have a lot of letters, select all layers and then paste it.

Then select all the layers except the top-layer and merge them together by CTRL+E.

When you're done, merge those 2 layers together as well!


Not much I can teach you about that! I chose to let my letters overlap each other a bit. As you can see the outer letters are in the back, then come the inner letters, and the middle letter is the closest letter if, let's say, the letters are placed on a table in front of you.


Then add a very soft White>Transparent gradient to a new layer and lower the opacity of it to 2%-10%. Then add a very small and soft white inner glow to the entire name or word.




I used red, because it's a color I haven't used in the entire image, so easy noticable.

I chose to leave them as they were!

Now you are done with the new and improved 3d-text tutorial. Not only did you learn how to make text look 3d, you now also know how to do cool stuff with it.
You can use this technique any way you want. You can also choose to make all the angles of the letters look the same way to make them all look the same, but if you want a more playfull composition like this one, you can add some difference to make it look cooler!
Ice
November 25th, 2008
What font did you use for this?
MickM
November 11th, 2008
Your outcome looks great Fuszbalista.
And the fact that the glow is a little too tough, is no problem. You managed to give it an original touch in a situation where it seemed impossible to continue ;)
Fuszbalista
November 9th, 2008
hi.. i tried it here(image below) but i think i cant get the last part i added something but still it came from this tutorial
img355.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ahpigletuo6.jpg
**Juanito**
November 2th, 2008
Thanks a lot, yours tutorials are realy greats!
Greetings
jopicar
October 31th, 2008
Nice tutorial, and nice explanation too.
I like so much your site, looks very useful and green is my favourite color :)
Kind regards,
jopicar
jopicar.com
Mike Nichols
October 25th, 2008
Thanks for sharing your techniques. It is very appreciated. Your site looks great as well, Thanks.
MaNiSh SiNGh NeGI
December 20th, 2008
Nice tutorial with good explanations.
Thanks this tutorial is really good one.